Safe Needle Disposal Toolkit
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The Clean and Safe Committee is a group of organizations
who collaborate to indentify and pursue improvements
to the health and safety of our communities.
Members of the Clean and Safe Committee:
AIDS Vancouver Island
City of Victoria
Downtown Residents Association
Downtown Service Providers Committee
Downtown Victoria Business Association
Victoria AIDS Resource and Community Services Society
Victoria Police Department
Victoria Cool Aid Society
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR COPIES
OF THIS BOOKLET, PLEASE CONTACT:
AIDS Vancouver Island
(250) 384-2366
This document is available for download
at www.avi.org/needletoolkit
Acknowledgements
This project was made possible through
the financial assistance of United Way of Victoria and the
Downtown Victoria Business Association.
Much of the content in this toolkit was previously published
in the SafeEdmonton Safe Needle Disposal Toolkit
– many thanks to them for their amazing groundwork
in creating safer communities.
Please visit www.edmonton.ca/Safedmonton for more
information on their projects.
PRINTED DECEMBER 2008
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Table of contents
needle use in victoria . .........................................................1
a glossary in pictures..........................................................2
CENTREFOLD
pull-out safe disposal poster
lancets..............................................................................2
blue plastic vials.............................................................2
crack pipes........................................................................2
needle clips.......................................................................3
disposal boxes..................................................................3
sharps containers...........................................................3
Who can get hurt?................................................................4
what are the risks?................................................................5
tetanus..............................................................................5
Staphylococcus Aureus.................................................6
HIV/AIDS..............................................................................6
Hepatitis.............................................................................7
Unsafe Needle disposal.........................................................8
safe needle disposal..............................................................9
when to call for help.........................................................10
what to do if poked by a needle........................................10
Places to take needles.........................................................11
resources..............................................................................12
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Safe Needle Disposal Toolkit
Needle use in Victoria
• People use needles for many
different purposes. There are many
medical conditions that involve te
use of needles. Diabetes is the most
common. People with conditions
like cancer and arthritis use needles
to control pain. Some people use
needles to inject illicit drugs.
• People who use injection drugs
have said they do not intend
to harm other people in the
community when they are
discarding used needles. Many will
throw out needles safely if there
are safe choices available.
• Everyone who uses needles has the
same need to get rid of their used
needles safely. With safe disposal,
no one gets hurt accidentally.
1
Choices for disposing
needles
• Many pharmacies take back
needles from their customers.
• AIDS Vancouver Island (AVI), the
Victoria AIDS Resource Community
Service Society (VARCS) and SOLID
offer free needle exchange services
for injection drug users. People
injecting drugs can exchange their
used needles for clean ones to
reduce harm to their health. Over
800,000 needles are exchanged
through these services each year.
• The City of Victoria has organized
placing and managing needle
disposal boxes in the downtown
area. Safe needle boxes have been
installed outside where needles
have been found on the ground
and where they are a safety
concern for the community.
• The Victoria Police Department
supports the safe needle boxes
as one way to make communities
safer.
• Disposed needles collected by AVI,
VARCS and the City of Victoria’s
needle drop boxes are sent to an
incineration facility for safe disposal.
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A glossary in pictures
The syringes and needles used at home or
by injection drug users look the same as
the syringe and needle you see in a doctor’s
office. Needles are also called “sharps” and
syringes, needles and lancets are known as
“needle debris.”
What does a lancet look like?
People with diabetes use a lancet - a very
small needle - to prick their finger to draw a
small amount of blood. They do this several
times each week to check the level of sugar
in their blood. The needle sits inside a holder,
or lancing device.
What are those blue plastic vials?
Sterile water may be used in the preparation
of injection drugs and come in small blue or
clear plastic vials.
What does a crack pipe look like?
Increasingly, people in Victoria are also
finding crack pipes on the street. Crack pipes
should be treated the same as needle debris
and disposed of in a safe manner.
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What does a needle clip device
look like?
A needle clip device is used by diabetics to
clip the needles they use to inject insulin. Its
opening is only large enough for a needle to
fit through. The sides push together to clip
the needle from the syringe. The purpose is
to seal the needles in a container so that no
one else gets accidentally poked.
What does a needle disposal box
look like?
These boxes are used for collecting used
needles. Needle boxes are installed
and managed by the City of Victoria’s
Engineering Department.
What is a sharps container?
A sharps container is made of hard plastic
with a sealable opening at the top. It is
especially made for safely holding used
needles, syringes and lancets. Sharps
containers, or “biohazard containers”, come
in various sizes and can hold a large number
of needles. You can buy a sharps container
at a pharmacy. If you are a business
operating in downtown Victoria, call the
Downtown Victoria Business Association
(250-386-2238) and ask their Clean Team
to drop one off for you.
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Who can get poked
accidentally?
• A parks maintenance person can get
poked if there are needles hidden in a
flowerbed or under a shrub in a park.
People using needles need a way to throw
them out after they are finished using them.
Without wanting to harm anyone else, they
may throw the needles in the garbage or
on the ground if they don’t see an easy way
to get rid of them safely or if they have not
been educated about safe disposal.
• A person who picks up a needle while
walking along the street or an alley can
get poked if it is not handled properly.
Carrying loose needles without a
container could lead to an accidental
injury.
How could a person get hurt?
• A person who tries to put the cap back
on a needle can easily get poked.
• A curious child in a playground can pick
up a needle tucked under a bush and
get poked.
• A person looking through garbage for
pop cans and empty bottles can get
poked if someone tossed a needle in the
bin.
• A worker who is cleaning public
washrooms or hotel rooms can get
poked if needles are hidden in tissue or
waste baskets.
• A child attracted to something shiny or
an adult reaching under a heating vent
in the hallway of an apartment building
can get poked by a needle pushed
underneath.
• A city waste collector can get poked by
a needle sticking out of a garbage bag.
Even needles in food containers can
poke out if the container gets crushed.
• In addition to people getting hurt, a dog
or cat can get poked wandering through
bushes where needles are hidden.
These are just some of the examples of
situations where people could get hurt. Safe
needle disposal keeps our communities clean
and safe for everyone.
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What are the risks?
We know picking up other people’s garbage
with bare hands is not a good idea because
it’s an easy way to spread infection. Needles
are like other garbage. Picking up needles
with your bare hands is a way to get
infected if you have an open cut. When a
person finishes using a needle, some of that
person’s blood may still be inside the needle
or syringe. If you get poked by a needle, you
could get sick as well.
What is tetanus?
Most people will not get sick by picking
up or being poked by a used needle. When
viruses in needles are exposed to the open
air, the viruses usually die. There is no way
to know how long a needle has been lying
where you found it, so it is best to be safe.
• You get tetanus when you
have an open cut and you
touch bacteria in soil, feces
or rusted metal.
• You may get tetanus.
• By getting immunized.
• You may get a Staphylococcus
Aureus infection.
• By using clean needles.
• You may get hepatitis B.
• You are at risk getting hepatitis C,
but the risk is negligible.
• You are extremely unlikely to get HIV
because the virus does not live in the
air for more than a few minutes. No one
has ever gotten HIV from a needle stick
injury from an abandoned needle.*
*
Tetanus is a serious disease,
caused by a poison from tetanus
bacteria. It attacks muscle nerves
and can be fatal.
• You can get the bacteria
from needles that are not
clean (sterilized).
You can prevent tetanus…
• By not touching feces and
rusted metal with your bare
hands.
Tetanus is treated with
medication to try to get rid of the
bacteria. If successful, there is a
long period of recovery, often in
intensive care.
BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS;
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network
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What is Staphylococcus Aureus?
Staphylococcus Aureus is a group of
bacteria, familiarly known as Staph
(pronounced “staff”), that can cause
diseases as a result of infection of
various tissues of the body. Over 30
different types of Staphylococci can
infect humans, but most infections are
caused by Staphylococcus aureus. In
the majority of cases, the bacteria do
not cause disease. However, damage
to the skin or other injury may allow
the bacteria to overcome the natural
protective mechanisms of the body,
leading to infection.
• Staph can be spread from one
person to another through casual
contact or through contaminated
objects. Staph infections can enter
the body through an open sore or cut.
• Staph is commonly spread from the
hands of someone who has it. This
could be anyone in a health care
setting or in the community.
You can prevent staph infections…
• By practicing good hygiene.
• By washing your hands frequently.
• By covering wounds, and not sharing
towels, needles or razors.
Staph infections are treated with
antibiotics.
What is HIV/AIDS?
The body is usually protected from illness
by the immune system. When Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infects the
body, it weakens the immune system.
The infected person can easily get sick
with rare and hard to treat infections and
cancers. When the immune system is badly
damaged, a person can develop Acquired
Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
• HIV is found in all body fluids of an
infected person. It is spread through
blood, semen, vaginal secretions and
breast milk.
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• HIV is spread by having unprotected
sex.
• HIV is spread by sharing needles.
You can greatly reduce the risk of getting
or spreading HIV…
• If you practice safer sex, using a
condom.
• If you use clean needles every time.
There is no cure for HIV at this time.
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What is hepatitis?
7
Hepatitis is a disease of the liver, caused
by a virus.
• You can get the disease if you have
sex with someone who is infected. The
risk is low.
• Hepatitis A is spread through
contaminated food or water.
You can prevent getting or passing
hepatitis to someone else…
• Hepatitis B and C are spread from
the blood or body fluids of one
person who has hepatitis to the
blood or body fluids of another
person.
• If you use clean needles every time.
• You can get hepatitis if you share
needles with someone who carries
the virus.
Most people recover completely if they get
sick with Hepatitis B. There is no vaccine
to prevent Hepatitis C. Only 3 of every 10
people with Hepatitis C know they have
the disease and most carry the virus for a
long time. Complex drug treatment works
for some people.
• You can get the disease if you get
poked by a needle with infected
blood on it, but the risk is low.
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• If you practice safer sex by using a condom.
• By getting the Hepatitis B vaccine.
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Unsafe Ways to Dispose of Needles
WHY IS IT UNSAFE?
Putting needles in the garbage.
Waste collectors can get poked if the
needles are loose or in a container.
Containers can get crushed and the
needles come through.
Putting needles in the recycling bin.
Waste management workers sort all
the recycled items we put in blue
bags by hand. A worker could get
poked by a needle.
Putting needles down the toilet.
The needles go into the sewer system
and then into the ocean. City staff
working in the drains could get poked
and it is environmentally unclean.
X
X
X
Putting needles down the sewer.
X
X
Putting needles on the ground or
under a bush.
A child, adult or pet could get
scratched or poked. City cleaning
staff could get poked.
Tucking needles into places they
won’t be seen.
A person cleaning, such as a janitor
or housekeeping staff, could get hurt.
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Safe needle disposal
Children …
You should leave the needle where it is.
Call an adult for help.
Adults …
If you see a discarded needle, you can
choose to dispose of it yourself, or you can
call for help (see below). You do not need to
be afraid if you are cautious, as the risk of
injury or infection are low.
4. Wash your hands with soap and warm
water.
5. Take the container to a pharmacy, to
AIDS Vancouver Island, or call VARCS’
Mobile X or SOLID to come and pick it
up. If you are a business in downtown
Victoria, call the DVBA’s Clean Team for
a pick up.
OR
1. Use a pair of tongs, pliers or tweezers
to pick up the needle. It is best to wear
rubber gloves.
2. Pick the needle up by pointing the
needle tip down and away from you.
3. Put the needle in a container that has
been placed on a stable surface. A sharps
container, bleach container, or plastic
peanut butter jar work well. You should
not use a glass jar, light plastic container,
or a milk carton, as they could break or
needles could poke through.
If you are not comfortable picking up
the needle and need more information,
you can call SOLID, VARCS or AVI to
ask if someone is available to come
and pick it up for you. If you are a
business in the downtown core, you
can call the DVBA’s Clean Team. If the
needle(s) are on public property, you
can also call the City of Victoria’s Civic
Services for assistance.
See page 11 for phone numbers.
IMPORTANT: Do not try to put the cap back
on the needle.
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When to call for help
• If you are too nervous to pick it up.
• If you see many needles in a pile, for
example, in a stairwell or behind a
dumpster.
• If you see broken needles scattered on
the ground.
• If you have no way of taking the needle
in a strong container to a safe place.
What should you do if you
get poked by a needle?
If you have been poked by a needle or other
sharp object that you suspect has been in
contact with blood or a body fluid containing
blood.
1. IMMEDIATELY:
• Wash the affected body part with
soap and water;
• Disinfect with an alcohol swab;
• Apply a band aid.
2. Call VIHA Communicable Disease
Program (weekdays 8:30—4:30)
at 1-866- 665-6626 or go to the
emergency room for
assessment.
3. If the injury happens
when you are at work,
be sure to tell your
immediate supervisor.
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Places to take needles
Needles can be dropped off at
AIDS VANCOUVER ISLAND,
located at 1601 Blanshard Street,
from Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm,
and Fridays 9am to 1pm. Please call if you
have any questions about needle disposal
or HIV and hepatitis C transmission:
250-384-2366 or toll free
at 1-800-665-2437.
Some pharmacies will accept sharps
containers for disposal. Please call your local
pharmacy to ask about disposal options.
To have someone come and pick up
needles on private property, please call
the VARCS Mobile X at 250-888-4487
(weekdays), SOLID’s syringe recovery team
at 250-298-9197 (mornings, 7 days/week),
or AIDS Vancouver Island (weekdays)
250-384-2366.
If you have found needles on
public property, please call the
City of Victoria at
250-361-0400, or in city parks call
250-361-0600, for removal.
If you are a business located
in downtown Victoria, call the
Downtown Victoria Business
Association for assistance from
their Clean Team: 250-386-2238.
If you have been poked by
a needle, please call VIHA
Communicable Disease
Program (weekdays 8:30—4:30)
at 1-866- 665-6626 or go to the
emergency room for assessment.
VICTORIA POLICE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH SHARPS CONTAINERS.
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Resources
Findings of Mayor’s Task Force on Breaking
the Cycle of Mental Illness, Addictions and
Homelessness: www.victoria.ca/cityhall/
cmmssn_hmlssn.shtml
Victoria Police Department: www.vicpd.ca
City of Victoria’s listing of social services and
housing and accommodations:
www.victoria.ca/residents/profiles_rsrcs_
sclsrv.shtml
British Columbia Centre for Disease Control:
www.bccdc.org
AIDS Vancouver Island: www.AVI.org
Victoria Cool Aid Society Community Health
Clinic: www.coolaid.org/health
Vancouver Island Health Authority:
www.VIHA.ca
Downtown Victoria Business Association:
www.downtownvictoria.ca/
“What is HIV/AIDS?” Public Health Agency
of Canada: www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/aids-sida/
info/index-eng.php
Victoria AIDS Resource & Community Service
Society: www.VARCS.org
Hepatitis C Information
www.hepcinfo.ca/
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